A part of me
Take one harsh thing you tell yourself, say it as a fact and then as "a part of me believes", and notice the difference.
6 steps, drawn from 3 books on IFS.
Checked: each step was read against the book passages it rests on, and stays inside them.
Read every step first
- One harsh message. Think of one harsh thing you often tell yourself about you. Keep it short.
- Say it as a fact. Say it to yourself as a plain fact, the way it usually sounds. Notice how that lands: in your chest, your shoulders, your breath. Only notice.
- Say it as a part. Now say it again, starting with "A part of me believes..." and then your message. Say it slowly. Notice how this one lands, and where you feel it.
- The difference. Compare the two. Did the second one land any differently? Write what you noticed, in a few words.
- How loud is it now? The same scale you used at the start. A drop is worth noticing, and no change is fine too: you heard the message as a part, not as you.
- Back to the room. If it feels true, thank the part that carries that message for showing itself. You can come back to it another day, only if you mean to. Then notice the room: your feet, what you can see.